Thornton vs West Jordan
The short version
- West Jordan is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Thornton area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $492,500 in West Jordan and $517,500 in Thornton.
- Thornton has the warmer winter: January highs of 47°F vs 39°F.
- West Jordan has more scorching days: 62 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 42.
- Thornton is growing faster: +4.2% since 2020 vs -0.1%.
- Commutes are shorter in West Jordan (24 vs 30 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Thornton, CO | West Jordan, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 147,766 | 116,812 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.2% | -0.1% |
| People per square mile | 4,046 | 3,585 |
| Median age | 34.7 | 33.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33% | 29% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $103,088 | $108,153 |
| Median home value | $517,500 | $492,500 |
| Home value to income | 5.0× | 4.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,895 | $1,757 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 105.8 | 100.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 146.9 | 123.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,300 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 71% | 77% |
| Top state income tax | 4.4% | 4.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.89% | 7.42% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 30.4 | 24.1 |
| Work from home | 15% | 19% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 3.8% |
| Poverty rate | 7% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 47° / 18° | 39° / 24° |
| July high / low | 90° / 59° | 94° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 15 in | 16 in |
| Snowfall per year | 49 in | 52 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 42 | 62 |
| Nights below freezing | 156 | 112 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.2 | 98.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 29% | 33% |
| Home prices, past year | -0.5% | +2.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +21.4% | +33.4% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Thornton: May to June and September. West Jordan: May to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Thornton weather by month and West Jordan weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,300 in Thornton and $75,700 in West Jordan. Moving from Thornton to West Jordan, you would need about $71,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Thornton and West Jordan
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Thornton and West Jordan.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.